Master Chief Sucks at Ordering
Master Chief Sucks at Ordering, officially abbreviated as MCSAO, is a Youtube series by UltraHyperShadow. The series follows Master Chief, a rude and obnoxious SPARTAN supersoldier, and his friends and enemies as he attempts to save the world from various forces while teaching the viewer "valuable life information." Inspired by the "Master Chief Sucks at Halo" series by DigitalPh33r, the series has since gone on to become one of the most popular successor shows and has inspired countless parodies and spoofs. Production Conception The user DigitalPh33r uploaded a video called "Master Chief sucks at Halo" in the summer of 2007, spawning a Youtube phenomenon. He created two sequels and a sequel series called Arby 'n' the Chief. The videos, a mix of machinima and live action, involve an action figure of Master Chief, the protagonist of the Halo series, who in these videos is vulgar and stupid, has poor spelling and grammar, and is rude and unhelpful to others. In October of 2007, UltraHyperShadow decided to try his hand at the concept after watching a spinoff video called "Master Chief sucks at plumbing" by Ninjaadventures, originally intending to make a video called "Mudkip sucks at Pokemon." However, he later went with the Master Chief idea, creating "Master Chief sucks at ordering McDonalds." The video was a hit and spawned a series of videos. Currently, Master Chief Sucks at Ordering is one of the most popular Master Chief Sucks series on Youtube. Influences Aside from DigitalPh33r's Arby 'n' the Chief providing the main influence for the series as a concept, other movies and TV shows have inspired the progression of the plot. The TV series Lost was a heavy influence on the second season's time travel oriented plotline, while the Halo series naturally provided inspiration for several characters and locations, like the Ark. Movie franchises like Star Wars and The Matrix influenced the pacing of the series and the themes of good versus evil, destiny, and fate. Episode format After the success of the first video, a trilogy was planned, then expanded to a quadrilogy (series of four). After a four month hiatus, the series was renewed with new episodes, usually released every two weeks. After ten episodes were released (one being a remake of the first episode and the finale being two episodes released the same day), season 1 was concluded in May 2008. The series follows the "September/October to May" format that many TV shows follow. After the conclusion of season 1, "minisodes" were announced to be released over the course of the summer of 2008. These minisodes are short episodes (although they are actually longer than some videos in the main series) that introduce new characters that will feature in season 2. They were inspired by the "mobisodes" released between seasons 3 and 4 of Lost. The second season began in September 2008 and ran for twelve episodes (one being another remake and the finale being two released the same day), concluding in May 2009. Additionally, on the series' one year anniversary, a special two part movie was released, detailing Master Chief's backstory. Season 2 features many new characters, a more complex plotline, and better fight scenes. After the conclusion of season 2, a new spinoff series called Meet the Ancients was announced to be released over the course of the summer of 2009. The series was a prequel to the main series and introduced new characters who appear in season 3. The third season began in September 2009 and will run for thirteen episodes, with the three-part series finale being released in May 2010. Creation A number of programs are used to make episodes of the series. Initially, Windows Movie Maker, a basic movie editing program bundled with Microsoft Windows, was used for season 1, the minisodes, and early season 2 episodes. However, Movie Maker's limitations became more problematic as season 2's plotlines became more complex, and from the fourth episode onward Sony Vegas, a professional video editing software, is used for creation of episodes. Microsoft Sound Recorder is normally used for the recording of dialogue, but the freeware program Audacity is sometimes used to edit voices or music. The Microsoft Sam, Mike, and Mary voices for the three main heroes are built-in voice synthesizers with Microsoft Windows. Other voices, such as CATS's famous voice, come from the program Talkany, while an online AT&T voice synthesizer service is used for several other characters' voices. Music The music in the series draws from many different sources. Appropriately, music from the Halo series makes frequent appearances, as does music from the TV series Lost. Music from The Dark Knight and Watchmen has also been used. "Morning Train" by Sheena Eston appears twice in the movie during humerous montage scenes. Due to the usage of Windows Movie Maker, which only allows for one audio track, during season 1 and early season 2 music during dialogue scenes was scarce. In later episodes of season 2, however, Sony Vegas is used to allow for multiple audio tracks for better music during dialogue and other scenes. Characters Main article: List of characters Initially, the only two characters on the show were Master Chief and his enemy CATS. The Arbiter, Master Chief's best friend, was added to the cast in the fifth episode of season 1 and has remained a pivotal character since. Starting with season 2, CATS was removed from the main cast as he had been killed in the first season finale, and he was replaced by the series' main villain, the King, as well as the new female hero Cortana. Starting with the fourth episode of season 2, Hillary Clinton became a main character after guest starring earlier. Beginning with season 3, Ronald McDonald became a main character while both the deceased Hillary Clinton and, notably, Cortana were removed from the main cast, casting doubt on the latter's survival of the events of the season 2 finale. However, Cortana was added back to the main cast in the fourth episode of season 3. Important recurring characters include members of the Network, such as Jack Thompson, L. Ron Hubbard, Tom Cruise, Chad Warden, the Angry Video Game Nerd, Chris Hansen, and Barack Obama, all of whom are dead by the end of season 2. Meet the Ancients introduced new season 3 recurring characters, including Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Reggie Fils-Aime. The role of Sergeant Johnson was also expanded in season 3. Episodes Season 1 (2007-2008) Main article: Season 1 Summary Season 1 featured 10 episodes. Master Chief is introduced as a vulgar character who attempts to help the audience with mundane, everyday problems by giving them bad, usually violent advice. An actual plotline develops when CATS, a cyborg villain, decides to try and cancel Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Master Chief later encounters other minions of CATS, like Jack Thompson and L. Ron Hubbard. Master Chief soon gets assistence from his friend, the Arbiter, while Tom Cruise is introduced for the villains. The season culminates with a battle between the heroes and the villains, ending with CATS being abruptly killed by his true leader, the King. Minisodes (2008) Main article: Minisodes Summary Five minisodes were released between seasons 1 and 2. The King captures Master Chief and begins introducing him to new villains he has recruited to his team, the Network, including Chad Warden, the Angry Video Game Nerd, and Chris Hansen. Jack Thompson and Tom Cruise also assist the King in creating a weapon of some kind. Hillary Clinton appears as a new freelance villain. Barack Obama and Cortana are introduced as new allies of Master Chief, who learns he is destined to save the world. Season 2 (2008-2009) Main article: Season 2 Summary Season 2 featured 12 episodes and a special movie. Master Chief, and later, the Arbiter, escape their captivity and reunite with Cortana. They help Obama get elected, but he is killed by Hillary Clinton. Jack Thompson is killed by the King for being useless, and he activates his superweapon, which is actually a portal to the Ark, a station that can control space and time. Master Chief begins time traveling as he tries to access the Ark with the Arbiter and Cortana, and, upon reaching the present again, attempts to help them deactivate the Ark to stop the King's plan. After another epic battle in which all of the Network members, except for the King himself, are killed, the King reveals his true intentions: he wishes to stop the Ancients, an evil group led by Ronald McDonald. Master Chief's intervention allows the Ancients to destroy the Ark, possibly killing Cortana, and launching all of the characters randomly through time. The season ends when Master Chief and the Arbiter wake up in the future. Meet the Ancients (2009) Main article: Meet the Ancients Summary Meet the Ancients is a spinoff/prequel to the main series, introducing the new characters who make up Ronald McDonald's team, the Ancients. Ronald recruits Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Reggie Fils-Aime before jumping forward in time to the end of season 2. Season 3 (2009-2010) Main article: Season 3 Summary Season 3 will feature 13 episodes and two recaps. Master Chief and the Arbiter arrive in the year 2020 and attempt to stop the Ancients from building a functional Halo ring, reluctantly teaming up with 343 Guilty Spark. In the year 44 BC, the King and Avery Johnson form a loose alliance. After rescuing Cortana onboard Installation 04, the group of heroes reunite and take on Ronald. He activates his mysterious Halo ring after a massive battle, creating an alternate timeline where Master Chief is articulate and kind. The King and Ronald make a deal where Ronald will tell the King the coordinates he receives from Master Chief in exchange for the King healing Ronald's wounds in the original timeline. Back in the original timeline, the King explains Ronald's plan to raid UNSC Building 69 for a superpowerful program he can use to control the universe. After Master Chief and his allies leave, Ronald and his minions kill the King and blow up the Halo. However, the King is revealed to have survived because he is an AI, and downloads the program. He uses it to kill Ronald and Johnson, and the remaining heroes barely manage to escape. Cortana then reveals their new ally: CATS. Cortana is killed when she and Master Chief go to find the Voice, but she imparts important information to him: AIs can be truly destroyed once they have fulfilled their purpose. Master Chief is sent to the King by the Voice, and they have their final battle. Master Chief eventually realizes he cannot kill the King and allows himself to be destroyed, which fulfills the King's purpose and allows the Voice to destroy him. Afterwards, the Voice brings Master Chief back to life, but he refuses to go back to the fictional world, and instead leaves to go to the real world. Themes Metafiction Master Chief Sucks at Ordering relies heavily on metafiction, the concept that the characters are aware they are part of a fictional story. From the beginning of the series, Master Chief breaks the "fourth wall" by talking directly to viewers and giving them advice on a variety of subjects. It is later confirmed that Master Chief is the person uploading the videos to Youtube, and several times throughout the series he refers to MCSAO as his show. The metafiction theme becomes an integral part of the series in its final episodes, when the King explains the concept to the other characters and his desire to destroy the Voice, the mysterious manifestation of the show's creative force. The King desires to escape the fictional world and enter, and presumably conquer, the real world. Master Chief is assisted by the Voice in stopping the King, but is first forced to sacrifice himself. Upon rebirth, Master Chief chooses to ignore the Voice's claims that his fictional world is real and instead decides to enter the real world, at which point the series ends and the Arbiter is left to upload the series finale in Master Chief's absence. The Voice's identity is intentionally left unclear. He may be a manifestation of creative willpower, of UltraHyperShadow himself, or even the real world version of Master Chief after he exits the fictional world. Fate, destiny, and purpose Master Chief becomes aware early on that he is part of a bigger conflict when CATS delays Super Smash Bros. Brawl for no conceivable reason. He later discovers that the King wants to destroy him, still for unclear reasons. At this point, Master Chief is informed by Cortana that he has a destiny: to kill the King. Master Chief later learns, however, that the prophecy Cortana speaks of was actually created by Master Chief himself while time traveling, and thus he has no real "destiny" at all. At the same time, he is caught in a larger, eons-long battle between the King and Ronald. Master Chief eventually learns that there is a real prophecy that whoever downloads a program of mysterious origin is destined to destroy the person who is the subject of a false prophecy. The King and Master Chief end up fulfilling these respective personas. Master Chief learns from the dying Cortana that every AI, including the King, has a purpose that, when fulfilled, allows them to be permanently killed. Master Chief is told by the Voice that he must stop the King, yet at the same time, the King is fated to kill Master Chief. Ultimately, Master Chief allows the King to destroy him, thus destroying the King himself. The Voice resurrects Master Chief for his sacrifice, only for Master Chief to finally reject the various prophecies, destinies, purposes, and uncontrollable fates people have given him. He refuses the Voice's claims that he must return to the fictional world and simply leaves, headed to the real world. Hero's journey Master Chief follows the typical hero's journey archetype. He is initially an unintelligent, annoying, and rude character, and learns of a petty conflict--CATS delaying Super Smash Bros. Brawl--which sends him into action and leads him to the discovery of a larger plot. Initially, Master Chief is motivated by nothing more than annoyance at people like CATS, Jack Thompson, and L. Ron Hubbard. It is only later, when the King captures him and he learns of his destiny, that he chooses to start actively trying to save the world. Ultimately, Master Chief evolves as a character, caring more about his friends and allies than himself, and coming to terms with the fact that he will have to sacrifice himself to save both his world and the world of his viewers. In the end, after Master Chief remembers Cortana's advice and is about to sacrifice himself, his subtitles are spelled correctly, representing how he has finally become the intelligent hero he was destined to be. Paradoxes Master Chief Sucks at Ordering deals heavily with paradoxes, two concepts that contradict each other. Literal time travel paradoxes come into play in season 2 when Master Chief discovers he was responsible for various ideas like aliens in Scientology via time travel, but most importantly, Master Chief convinces the King to leave his job at McDonalds, thus putting him on his path to try and conquer the universe. The King eventually creates Master Chief himself, creating another paradox. Master Chief and the King are also linked in death. Master Chief learns of a legitimate prophecy that the King will kill him, and realizes that when the King fulfills this purpose, he will be destroyed. Coming to terms with this paradox, Master Chief allows the King to destroy him so the King himself can die. Impact Master Chief Sucks at Ordering started a new wave of Master Chief Sucks videos on Youtube. Imitator videos, especially those dealing with Master Chief ordering various kinds of food, became especially popular. While DigitalPh33r invented the format, MCSAO was responsible for many of the innovations: pictures of Master Chief, random images that have nothing to do with the dialogue, violent and abrasive language, and poor advice. Some conventions in early MCSAO episodes have become running gags in successor videos, like throwing a plasma grenade through the window or being stalked while eating food. However, some videos are criticized for being too similar to Master Chief Sucks at Ordering. One video even plagarized the entire script for "Master Chief Sucks at Ordering at Restaurants" but changed some of the proper nouns; the video's comments section was raided by several MCSAO fans, resulting in the video owner disabling ratings and comments. However, one series by Zombamazomba became highly popular and continues to get high views for new episodes, having been inspired by MCSAO. Master Chief Sucks at Ordering and Zombamazomba's videos are the two highest rated Master Chief Sucks series on Youtube, and hundreds of viewers and subscribers regularly watch new episodes. External links *UltraHyperShadow on Youtube *[http://ultrahypershadow.blogspot.com UltraHyperShadow's blog, the official Master Chief Sucks at Ordering site] Category: Master Chief Sucks at Ordering